


Black Magic Roses

by Darkly_Sweet_Angel (Patch_Ciprianos_Angel)



Series: The Huntress and The Wolf [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Are There Enough Tags Now?, Between Seasons/Series, Bullying, F/M, First Crush, First Love, Harassment, Humor, I Don't Even Know, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Its Referenced In Later Chapters Though, Just Adding These Tags Just In Case, Quicksilver Pairing, Ruby's First Crush, Teen Romance, The Bullying/Harassment Is Only In One Chapter, What Even Is the Ship Name For These Two?, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2018-08-30 11:46:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8531818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Patch_Ciprianos_Angel/pseuds/Darkly_Sweet_Angel
Summary: "You totally have a crush on him, admit it!" Yang argued. Ruby averted her silver eyes, pretending to ignore her, "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about." "You have been staring at him a lot during class," Weiss commented in that cool, logical way of hers. "Because he's new and interesting." Ruby sputtered in her own defense. "I don't have a crush on Mercury!"





	1. It's Not a Crush! Okay, Maybe It Is

_All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you._

_This night is sparkling. Don't you let it go._

_I'm wonderstruck. Blushing all the way home._

_I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you._

_Enchanted - Taylor Swift_

* * *

 

_Wakey, wakey, Merc, my boy._

The voice snapped him to consciousness. He knew that tone very well. Marcus only ever sounded that cheerful when torture was soon to occur. And as sick as it made him feel back then, he wished it wasn’t him that was going to receive such attention.

_We’re going on a **hunt** today, Merc. I’m gonna teach you how to catch you a nice, wide eye doe._

This was the code, his father taught him. “Hunt” meant he had a contract. “Wide eye doe” – well, that was a simple enough term for a young woman. Probably a beautiful one at that. Mercury breathed a sigh of relief when he found that the room was empty. He fell back against the pillows, closing his eyes before his Scroll begun to ring.

“ _Damn it._ ” He hissed.

 

_Bang!_

The muzzle of the sniper-scythe flared and the final Grimm fell.

"That's not true!" Ruby exclaimed, her cheeks reddening.

"Yes, it is." Her sister, Yang, argued. "You totally have a crush on him, admit it!"

Ruby averted her silver eyes, pretending to ignore her, "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

"Weiss, Blake, back me up." Yang turned to their friends.

"You _have_ been staring at him a lot during class," Weiss commented in that cool, logical way of hers.

"Because he's _new_ and interesting." Ruby sputtered in her own defense.

Weiss nodded in agreement.

"Plus, you always seem extra-clumsy when he's around." Yang put her two cents in.

"I do _not!_ " Ruby shot back.

Blake sighed softly, "Why don't we get this out of the way? Ruby has a crush on Mercury, but either doesn't realize it or doesn't want to acknowledge it."

" _Hey! Are you guys ready to go?_ "

The girls jolted at the sound of Jaune's voice and turned to face him almost guiltily. Jaune Arc waved at the girls cheerfully before gesturing to the airship.

"I don't have a crush on Mercury!" Ruby cried, walking towards the airship, collapsing her scythe, slipping it into its case.

"Look, Ruby, every girl has to fall for and/or date a bad boy at least once in her lifetime," Yang said matter-of-factly.

" _Excuse me?_ " Weiss guffawed, "Who died and made you Dr. Phil?" She swiveled to face Ruby, "First, don't listen to her. She has _no idea_ what she's talking about. Second -"

"Aren't you dating Neptune?" Blake cut in.

"Yes, but he's the farthest thing from a ' _bad boy_.'" Weiss retorted, making sarcastic air quotes.

"Hey!" Neptune, the guy in question, waved to the group cheerfully as they approached the ship.

"See?" Weiss said, driving her point home.

Ruby remained silent, pondering the difficulties of actual dating before shaking her head. She climbed into the ship and made her way to her seat, exchanging pleasantries with the others.

 

The trip back to the academy went quickly. And if the others noticed how silent Ruby had been, they didn't comment on it.

Her thought-space had been invaded by a certain silver-haired boy.

The teams, RWBY, JNPR, and SSSN, made their way into the dormitories, after they'd parted ways, and to their rooms.

Ruby tugged on her jacket, straightening it nervously. Her shower had been quick, almost fleeting.

She piled food onto her tray before glancing at the amount of food she'd added self-consciously. Shaking her head, she carried the tray to her team's usual table and looked around the room.

Her breath caught when she spotted a familiar head of silver hair. Ruby ducked her head and began picking at her food. She gazed at him again, her blood rushing to her cheeks, warming them. She didn't know why, but she found him _appealing_.

She hadn't spoken to him much since his arrival, but she couldn't shake this need to know him, to impress him, gain his attention, and make him like her. She wanted to be closer to him, to talk to him.

But, every time she was within two feet of him, her mouth wouldn't open, and if she forced it to, her tongue didn't want to work. She remembered the day she'd gathered the courage to approach him.

She waved at him, and once she had his attention, she _froze_. She made a few vowel sounds then ran away. Ruby fought the urge to cover her eyes and whimper.

"What are you lookin' at?" Yang chirruped from next to her, causing her to jump.

" _Nothing!_ " Ruby hissed, stiffening, dropping her eyes to her tray, staring at it until the food she'd chosen had been burned into her memory.

"Are my eyes deceiving me?" Weiss dropped onto the bench. "You're passing up _strawberries?_ "

Weiss made a show of attempting to check Ruby's temperature.

"I'm not sick!" Ruby avoided Weiss's hand, warmth flooding her cheeks. "I just..." She searched for a solution as Blake arrived at the table, "I just don't feel hungry right now."

Which wasn't exactly a lie. She just had butterflies swarming her stomach at the time, so eating wasn't an option.

"You're not hungry?" Yang gazed at her sister in disbelief.

Ruby nodded at the moment Mercury stood from his table and began to cross the room to dispose of the empty containers on his tray.

"Oh!" Yang stood, "This is perfect! It must be _fate!_ "

She grabbed Ruby's arm and yanked her to her feet. Before she could say a word to discourage her sister, she was dragged across the room.

Yang waved at Mercury, calling out, "Hey! Mercury!"

Mercury halted in his tracks, his eyes narrowing slightly at the two approaching girls.

"Yes?" He asked not impolitely.

"Hey, hi. My sister wanted to - ah - talk to you." Yang chimed, shoving Ruby towards him as Ruby turned her head to hide her burning cheeks.

Mercury cast her a skeptical glance.

"Oh?" He said, fighting the mocking tone that always coated his words.

Yang turned to her sister, whispering, "Good luck!"

She scurried away, leaving Ruby alone with Mercury.

After an agonizing moment of silence, Ruby spoke up, "So - um - do you like books?" She gazed at him, rubbing the back of her head.

 

Moments later, Ruby found herself standing in the library with Mercury, perusing the shelves. And Mercury found himself wondering how he got into this situation.

 _What am I even doing here?_ He asked himself for the thirtieth time.

This girl was one of the students he and Cinder had evaluated. She was quite skilled. And yet, he was standing in the library with her. When she'd invited him to the library, he'd looked to Cinder for salvation. Instead, she nodded, telling him to – yes – go to the library with the girl.

 _So, you’ve found yourself a little something sof’n’sweet, hmm?_ The malevolent voice of his father invaded his mind.

Ruby pulled a book from the shelf, flipping it over, examining it before turning to Mercury, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Have you read this one? It's one of my favorites." She smiled.

"What's it about?" Mercury asked.

"It's about a teenaged boy who meets this girl and befriends her, only to find that they share a long and dark history together." Ruby replied, her argent hues dreamy and far away.

Mercury arched a brow in question, "Then what happens?"

Ruby beamed at him, "You could always read it and find out for yourself."

She placed the book into his hands as he protested.

"Wait -"

"What? It's a book. It's not going to bite you, Silly." Ruby giggled softly.

At that moment, her eyes met his, and her cheeks flushed. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Emerald rounded the corner.

"Hey," Emerald began, "Cinder wants to talk to you about that _project_ we're working on. For class." She quirked a brow.

Mercury blinked, seemingly remembering himself and nodded, "Yeah, I'll be right there." He cuffed Ruby's chin lightly, "See you around, Little Red." He turned and walked away with Emerald.

Ruby slumped against the bookshelf. "Yeah. See you around." She sighed softly.

 

"So, what did she need?" Mercury asked as he stepped into the dorm room.

Emerald pointed to the book in his hands, "What's that?"

Mercury looked at the book, remembering the enthusiastic way Ruby talked about it before shrugging and tossing it onto the desk.

"I don't know. That girl gave it to me to read."

"You? Reading?" Emerald said in disbelief before laughing, " _You?_ "

"Shut up," Mercury said bitterly.

"How was your date?" Cinder asked, strolling into the room.

"Terrible. Why'd you send me on it?"

Cinder smiled, sitting on the bed, "She has a crush on you. And I thought we could use it to our advantage."

Mercury snorted, "Who here at this school doesn't?"

"Careful," Cinder warned, "Arrogance can lead to stupidity, which, in turn, leads to a slip-up."

Mercury shook his head, "How long do I have to put up with her?"

Cinder narrowed her eyes at him, "For as long as I tell you to. Am I clear?"

Mercury grumbled before responding, "Clear as crystal, Cinder."

Cinder tossed her dark hair over her shoulder, smiling, and “Good. I don't want you to forget what happened to Roman Torchwick."

"Hey!" The man in question said defensively, talking to them through a Scroll.

"Yeah, well unlike him, I have no interest in little girls," He smirked at the holographic image of Torchwick and Neo.

"Watch it, Kid." Torchwick scowled. "There wouldn’t be any blood on my hands when they find what’s left of you."

"Excuse me?" Cinder cut in coolly, but the undercurrent of danger stilled the man.

"So, what is the plan again?" Torchwick asked, diverting the conversation.

"Mercury will befriend the girl, this Ruby Rose. And he'll find out everything she knows."

"And if she doesn't know anything?" Torchwick raised a brow.

"Then he'll kill her." Cinder said with a smile.


	2. Our [Not] Lunch Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure if I was going to post this chapter. Then I thought to myself, "Eh, why not?" I'm just scared I'll regret this..

_If you want to, I can save you. I can take you away from here._

_So lonely inside. So busy out there._

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares._

_Please, can you tell me?_

_So I can finally see where you go when you're gone._

_All You Wanted - Michelle Branch_

* * *

 

Ruby crossed the quad, enjoying the light, fresh breeze as it whipped by. It was a lovely day. She hummed as she made her way to the Academy's airstrip, where she'd planned to meet her friends before they went into Vale.

"Hey!" A male voice called to her, "Little Red! Wait."

She turned, "Yes?" Suddenly her mouth stopped working properly.

Mercury sprinted towards her.

"Hey." He halted in front of her and cleared his throat, "I... uh, wanted to know if you had anything planned today?" He faltered near the end of the statement, turning it into a question.

Ruby gaped at him slightly, taken aback.

"Um. Well, I'm meeting my friends right now to go into Vale." She waved her hands, panicking, "Not that you and I aren't friends. I mean, we are, right? I mean, I want to be -"

Mercury waved her worried words away, "Hey, no harm, no foul, Little Red. We can hang out later."

Ruby froze before whispering, "Really?"

Mercury nodded, "Sure. How about lunch tomorrow?"

Ruby's mouth opened and closed before she said enthusiastically, "Sure!"

"Great," Mercury grinned at her, taking a couple of steps back, "It's a date."

He winked before he turned and sauntered away, leaving Ruby speechless.

"A date?" She repeated to herself, feeling faint.

 

"You're quiet." Weiss pointed out, looking at Ruby as they strolled down the streets of Vale, making their way to their favorite ice cream parlor, The Second Scoop.

"What?" Ruby squawked, looking at her friends and her sister, "I'm sorry!"

"Don't be," Yang said almost slyly, "Were you thinking of a certain silver-haired boy?"

"Who?" Pyrrha asked, "Mercury?"

" _What?_ " Jaune shrieked.

"Oh, don't tell me you never noticed," Pyrrha said, amused.

"I noticed." Nora chimed in.

Ruby jumped in, "How come no one ever told me that they noticed?"

"We didn't want to embarrass you," Weiss said with a shrug.

Ruby gaped at her friends, all of them gazing back at her, guiltlessly.

"You _all_ knew?"

" _I didn't!_ " Jaune cried, hurt by the exclusion.

"Well, I suppose you know that Mercury asked me to join him for lunch tomorrow, too?" Ruby asked accusingly before she could stop herself.

"What?"

"Did you approach him?"

"Or did he approach you?"

"What did he say?"

"Details! I demand details!"

The girls converged on Ruby, leaving Jaune and Ren alone.

"Man, girls," Sun commented.

"Yeah, you're telling me," Jaune said before yelping, "Hey! Where did you come from?"

"Dude, really?" Neptune said from beside Sun.

"Are you multiplying or something?" Jaune screamed.

 

_When you come up to a pretty one, you wanna turn on the classic Black Charm. Give her a smile, Merc. Lure her in with pretty words. They love to hear sweet things._

Mercury turned onto his side, grabbing a pillow, covering his head with it, almost smothering himself to shut out his father’s voice. He wasn’t wrong. Mercury used the skills learned from his father after joining with Cinder’s faction and found to his surprise that they worked.

He’d even used some of said skills to gain Little Red’s trust and affection. Now, he needed rest for the morning. He had a feeling he’d need it.

_Wakey, wakey, Merc, my boy._ His father hissed as he closed his eyes.

“ _No,_ ” Mercury retorted, “Shut up and let me sleep.”

 

"Is this really necessary?" Ruby asked uneasily as the older girls rifled through the closet to find something for her to wear.

They'd returned from the city quickly to begin arranging an outfit for Ruby to wear.

"Yes!" All three of them shouted at once.

Ruby flopped down on the lower bunk she and Weiss shared with a groan. Finally, Weiss produced something red and black, girly and _frilly_.

"Um, Weiss?"

"What?" Weiss said in a hostile sort of way.

"Do I have to - ?"

" _Yes!_ " The girls chorused again.

"What's wrong with this?" Ruby tugged on the skirt of her battle clothing.

"Because you're not fighting dragons or Grimm," Weiss said in that I'm-Older-Therefore-I'm-Always-Right kind of way.

"Yeah!" Yang joined in eagerly and a little dramatically, "The only thing you'll be conquering is Mercury's heart!"

Ruby, Weiss, and Blake stared at Yang, in awe and a little fear.

"What?" Yang asked all too innocently.

"Fine." Ruby agreed sullenly, laying back heavily. "Will I be making any decisions on this matter? Or will all of you continue using my life as a substitute so you can all fix your past mistakes?"

The older girls all fell silent.

 

The next morning came all too quickly for Ruby's taste and she changed into the dress Weiss had picked out. It was a deep, dark red and black, and was cinched at her waist with a tiny leather belt. The top was made of black fabric, covered with red lace and the black tulle skirt belled out at her hips and stopped at the top of her knees.

It took what felt like hours for the other girls to reach a compromise with her. She wore her black leggings, a pair of ankle boots she'd acquired from Blake and a jacket from Yang. She nervously crossed the lawn, looking around for Mercury.

"Psst!"

She swiveled, looking for the source of the sound. Mercury nodded his head towards the trees, and she hurried after him.

They wandered through the woods in silence for a moment before Mercury spoke up, "I thought you might've stood me up."

Ruby turned to him, startled, "No. I just - I got lost." She admitted sheepishly.

"Really?" Mercury looked at her, torn between surprise and amusement.

Ruby showed him her Scroll and the message he'd sent her with directions.

"Oh." He nodded, looking away to hide his smirk before stopping, causing Ruby to stumble.

His hand shot out, catching her elbow.

"Whoa. Easy there."

Ruby looked around the clearing before the ruins of the temple caught her eye. This was the place they were sent to find during their initiation.

"Is this where we're eating?"

"Yeah. Sometimes all that noise in the cafeteria really bugs me, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," The girl replied, shocking him.

He set down the basket he was carrying. Ruby blinked, noticing it for the first time.

"You packed lunch too."

"Men can pack lunches just as well as women," He replied, a little defensive, causing Ruby to giggle. "What?"

Ruby waved her hand, "Nothing."

She pulled the blanket from the basket, spreading it over the ground before sitting, tucking her legs beneath her.

"It's just," She began again, "You're so..."

"So, what?" Mercury sat across from her, unearthing the various foods he'd packed.

"Well, _manly_ ," Ruby's cheeks reddened.

"Thanks?" Mercury wasn't certain if it was a compliment.

"And a little intimidating." She finished and picked up a bottle of water, unscrewing the top and taking a sip.

"Why do you call me 'Little Red'?" Ruby asked, surprising him for the second time that day.

"I don't know," Mercury said thoughtfully, "You're wearing red almost every time I see you. Why? Do you not like me calling you that or something?"

"No," Ruby averted her eyes. "It's just someone else calls me Red and..." She trailed off, her eyes carrying that far away appearance again.

"Is this person someone I might know?" Mercury inquired, having the distinct feeling that this person is one Roman Torchwick.

"I hope not!" Ruby gasped, "This person is just _horrible!_ "

_Doh!_ Mercury thought. _Right_... _in the cajones_.

"I see," Mercury said in a strangled tone.

Ruby picked up a small container, opening it, "Oh! Strawberries!" She chirped.

_Well, this is going well._ Mercury thought bitterly.

A breeze wafted through the clearing, sending a scent of roses and wild berries his way. After some consideration, he realized it was coming from _her_.

_Why do girls emit scents like that?_ He wondered, frustrated.

It was like they were communicating, "Love me, want me" through the sense of smell. At that moment, a crunching sound in the underbrush made them both stiffen. Ruby met Mercury's eyes and he nodded. They both stood silently and looked around the clearing in time to see a massive Ursa burst through the trees, barreling right for them.

Mercury cursed softly and dropped into a defensive crouch as Ruby pulled a box from under the jacket she wore. She unfurled a giant scythe, turning to the Ursa as it skidded to stop, looking between the two of them as if it couldn't decide which of them would make a better meal.

After a moment of indecision, it turned to Ruby, unleashing a roar. Mercury was momentarily torn between allowing the Grimm to kill the girl and take this ridiculous task off his hands and saving her, thereby gaining more of her trust. A split second was all it would take.

And time seemed to slow as the large Grimm lowered itself, its rippling muscles coiling before its claws scored the ground. It launched itself at Ruby. And that split second was what made Mercury's decision. He leapt in front of her, his foot raising to connect with the Ursa, a loud crack splitting the stilled air.

The creature made a pitiful sound of pain as it landed with a dull thud. Ruby sucked in a quivering breath before turning to the bear-like monstrosity as it rose again.

"Oh, you gotta be _kidding_ me!" Mercury snarled.

Ruby lunged for the Grimm, rose petals fluttering in her wake as she wielded the scythe expertly, parrying attacks and responding with her own. Mercury watched her for a moment, assessing her before he leapt into the fray. After what seemed to be an eternity, they finally fell the Ursa.

"That..." Ruby gasped, panting softly before her mouth split into a grin, "Was _awesome!_ "

She'd surprised Mercury once more.

_Is there no end to your mystery, Ruby Rose?_

 

"So, those are your weapons?" Ruby asked, pointing to Mercury's boots as they walked back to Beacon.

He followed her pointing finger and uttered a sound of uncertainty.

_Is she planning to attack me?_ Mercury wondered, his guard rising; _maybe she's planning to disable my weapons first._

"I think they're cool," Ruby prattled on, oblivious to Mercury's discomfort and silence. "I mean, I think I might've gotten carried away when designing mine." She hefted the collapsed sniper-scythe.

Mercury blinked at her, "Huh? You _designed_ that?"

"Of course, I did!" She laughed.

This girl was full of surprises.

Her eyes widened when she spotted her group, and she pivoted to face him, "I had a lot of fun today! Can we do this again sometime?"

"Yeah, sure," Mercury replied, dazed.

"Great!" She beamed, scurrying over to her friends.

"Ooh, Mercury! You're the _best!_ I had a lot of fun today!" Emerald cooed in an exaggeration of Ruby's voice.

Mercury scowled at her, "Shut up. And that little stunt you pulled with the Ursa almost killed me, you know."

Emerald shrugged carelessly as if it were nothing to her, "Cinder wanted her to trust you, didn't she? I thought what better way to gain her trust than to have you heroically leap in front of her and save her life?"

Emerald clasped her hands over her heart, pretending to swoon.

"Besides, it was a win-win situation. You could; A) Save her life and earn her trust, thereby getting closer to her and finding out everything she knows. Or B) You could both die. And we would still win. Also, I happen to know some anthropologists who'd love to get their hands on a _Homo Moronicus._ " She grinned at him.

Mercury took a step towards her, growling out, "Try that again, and your anthropologist friends will be digging up the bones of a _Deadus Bitchus._ Got it?" He glowered at her, stalking away.

On his way out, he caught Ruby regaling her friends with tales of their picnic.

"And then the Ursa came at us like _this!_ " She mimed the Ursa charging at them with a growl.

Weiss, Yang, and Blake looked, for their part, impressed.

"Wow!" Yang said, enthralled by the story, "Then what happened?"

Mercury smirked to himself, walking past them, catching Ruby's eye, nodding to her. A sunset swept over Ruby's cheeks, and she nodded back to him before resuming her storytelling.

"And then Mercury jumped in front of me and..."


	3. Two Steps Forward...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to preface this chapter with a slight trigger warning. As there's a scene of harassment/bullying up ahead. Which, in turn, leads to some violence, but I digress. I'm not sure if it's enough to warrant me having to add it to my tags or anything, but if you guys think I should, let me know and I will. I just wanted to put that out there. So, without further ado...

_Rescue me. Show me who I am._

_'Cause I can't believe this is how the story ends._

_Fight for me, if it's not too late. Help me breathe again._

_No, this can't be how the story ends._

_Rescue Me - Kerrie Roberts_

* * *

 

Soon, the tale of Mercury's "heroics" spread through the school like a wildfire.

 _More like a plague_. He thought, annoyed by it all.

But, more than why he saved her, everyone wanted to know why he and Ruby were alone in the woods. A lot of the other boys would pat him on the shoulder and congratulate him, causing him to shoot them glares that would turn a Gorgon to stone.

Everyone mostly seemed to avoid Ruby. But that could be that her teammates would terrify anyone who dared to come within five feet of her. In a way, rescuing her seemed to make her trust him even more. So, it might be a good thing. Even though he was still annoyed with Emerald. Still, the story traveled to the headmaster. And that meant he was "invited" to the office for a "talk."

"Mr. Black," Professor Ozpin said genially as he sat down at his desk, "I'm not sure how things are done at Haven, but at Beacon, students don't just travel into the forest as they please without a teacher or staff member present to assist as needed. It's dangerous, you see."

Mercury kept his features schooled into a mask of confusion and innocence.

"Oh?" He began, "I didn't know that. I'm sorry. I just thought it'd be a nice place to have lunch."

"What is your interest in Ruby Rose?" Ozpin asked him, his voice still carrying that casual tone. "You never seemed to pay her any mind before."

Mercury leaned forward, steepling his fingers, "What do you mean?"

"You're an intelligent young man, Mr. Black. I'm sure you know exactly what I mean. I do hope that your sudden interest in Ruby isn't malicious in nature."

Mercury gazed at Ozpin in silence before saying, "If that's all, I should get to class."

He stood quickly and walked to the door, pausing when Ozpin spoke up behind him, "I'm sure we'll talk again soon, Mr. Black."

 _I wouldn't count on it,_ Mercury thought, annoyed, before walking out of the headmaster's office.

Returning to the present, he glanced at the holographic clock on his desk, bored. Still fifteen minutes of this lecture. Doctor Oobleck was zooming through the room, as usual, chattering away about the subject.

Mercury's eyes flitted across the chamber as he slouched in his chair, relaxing. His eyes fell upon Ruby, who was leaning against her desk, chin resting on the palm of her hand.

Weiss tapped her shoulder and pointed to a sheet of paper she's holding. Ruby glanced at the paper and nodded.

 _So, this is the girl I need to spy on indefinitely?_ Mercury shook his head; _she doesn't seem like much_.

Ruby raised her eyes, just catching his momentarily before he looked away. A flush swept over her cheeks as she lowered her gaze and began jotting down notes. As soon as the class ended, Ruby hopped to her feet.

"Ruby!"

She started at the voice and turned.

Emerald Sustrai sprinted toward her, "Hey, I heard what happened yesterday. Pretty crazy, right?"

Ruby was taken aback.

"Uh - yeah, sure." She nodded.

"Thank God you and Mercury are okay, though," Emerald said carefully.

"Yeah, he was awesome," Ruby gushed, her cheeks reddening.

"I'll bet," Emerald muttered sarcastically.

The sarcasm went over Ruby's head as she continued to swoon, "Oh, he _was_."

"Oh. Well, I gotta go," Emerald spotted Cinder in the distance, awaiting her report. "See you, Ruby!" She smiled and waved.

"Bye!" The girl in red called, waving back.

Emerald stalked back to Cinder, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, dropping her fake smile. "She doesn't know anything about the attack."

"Good," Cinder chimed, "Let's keep it that way."

 

Ruby made her way to the cafeteria, searching for her teammates when she collided with someone.

"Hey, easy!" A familiar voice said, sounding faintly annoyed.

"Sorry, Cardin!" Ruby apologized, quickly stepping aside to escape him.

He'd never really been mean to her, but she'd seen him bully Jaune before, and that helped seal her opinion of him in stone.

"Where ya goin', Little Red?" He asked, using Mercury's nickname for her mockingly.

"I'm going to get lunch," Ruby attempted to step around him, but he stepped into her path again.

"Although, I guess I could say you're not so little and innocent anymore, are you?"

Flames ignited in Ruby's cheeks as she asked him in utter confusion, "What? What do you mean?"

"Is there a problem, Cardin?" Yang appeared at Ruby's side, cracking her knuckles, preparing for a beat down.

"Just wanted to know if your sister wanted to accompany me for a – ah – _lunch date_. Since she's willingly handing them out, if you catch my drift." He smirked.

Yang stepped forward, "My sister is doing no such thing. And if you wish to continue breathing, I suggest you not spread rumors that she is."

"What's going on over here?"

Weiss and Blake joined them, "You're holding up the line."

Cardin glanced at each of the girls before shrugging, "Nothing. Just having a friendly _chat_." He turned and stomped away.

"What was he talking about, Yang?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing, Ruby. Don't worry about it."

Her sister patted her on the arm, guiding her to the line.

"Seriously, though," Ruby began, "What did he mean by I'm not so 'little and innocent' anymore?"

" _What?_ " Weiss cried, "He's disgusting!"

Blake only shook her head, a scowl adorning her features.

Ruby's argent hues had widened before she turned to Yang, "Yang?" Her voice was small.

Yang sighed slowly, and she turned to Ruby, "It's..."

She paused, seeing the looks on Weiss and Blake's features.

"Okay, I guess you and I should have a talk."

 

Mercury watched from a distance as Yang spoke to Little Red before guiding her away from the cafeteria.

"Checking up on your girlfriend?" Emerald asked teasingly, sitting beside him.

"Don't call her that," He replied lazily, stabbing a slice of fruit with his fork.

"Why wouldn't we?" Cinder asked, arriving at their table. "Everyone seems to think she is your girlfriend."

Mercury bristled at her words but remained silent.

Soon, when Yang returned alone, speaking quietly to the others, he stood, picking up his tray, and snapping, "Think I'll go find her."

"Okay," Cinder sounded amused.

Mercury dumped his food containers and walked out of the cafeteria.

After checking the courtyard and the dorm room, he was left with the only option that seemed feasible. He made his way to the library and began searching the shelves, glancing up and down the aisles, before finding Ruby curled up against a shelf, her arms around her legs, hugging them to her chest.

"You okay?" Mercury asked, taking a seat across from her.

"Yeah," Ruby said, sighing heavily. "So, people think -"

She began, but Mercury cut her off, "Who cares what they think? Let them think what they want. You and I both know what happened, right?"

She nodded, and he continued, "That's all that matters."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," She murmured, brushing at her cheek.

She was wiping away a tear he noticed.

"So, what did Cardin want?" He asked carefully.

"He said I wasn't little and innocent anymore. Then invited me to a... lunch date." Ruby shook her head as Mercury moved to sit next to her.

"Huh," He took this all in impassively, dark thoughts unfurling in his mind.

_Wakey, wakey, Merc, My boy…_

 

After lunch, the students gathered in the classroom, once again, for combat training. Glynda oversaw the matches with a critical, scrutinizing eye.

"For our next match, Cardin Winchester. And..."

Cardin muttered low enough she couldn't hear, but the other students could, "Ruby Rose. I hear she's up for one-on-one matches."

He snickered along with his friends.

Mercury cast him a disdainful glance before a smirk crossed his features and he held up his hand, "I volunteer."

"Mister Black," Glynda sounded surprised, "Very well."

Both boys entered the arena.

Cardin bounced on the balls of his feet like a boxer, "You angry because of what I said about your girlfriend?" He taunted.

 _Tsk. Look at his stance, Son. He’s just **inviting** pain to his doorstep, _ Marcus sneered in his mind.

Mercury shrugged, "Actually, I'm mad about a lot of things. What an insect like you has to say about me or Ruby Rose doesn't bother me."

Cardin barreled forward. Mercury dodged him, his leg sweeping up, striking his opponent in the back of his knees, driving him to the ground.

Cardin rose again and started toward Mercury again. Mercury ducked low and sent Cardin skidding across the ground with another well-placed kick. Cardin growled as Mercury allowed a malicious smile to grace his features. The larger boy hurtled forward and began swinging his mace at his challenger.

Mercury just sidestepped him and landed a few harsh blows of his own. At this point, everyone watching could see that Mercury was merely playing with Cardin, humiliating him in front of everyone. Batting him back and forth the way a cat does a mouse.

 _Why are you playing with this punk?_ His father’s voice said, _You could destroy him!_

"What's wrong, Black?" Cardin snarled, "Don't like sharing?"

"Shut up," Mercury drawled.

"That's a shame, really. I heard otherwise. In fact, a few of my buddies and I wouldn't mind it if you did."

 _What's the matter, Son?_ Marcus hissed. _Afraid of some **punk?**_

“I said, _shut up_ ,” Mercury repeated, driving the taller boy to the ground with another brutal swing.

“I hear she tastes like strawberries,” Cardin began. “I’d like to find that out for my –”

Mercury's vision went red, and before he knew what he was doing, he gripped the prone Cardin's arm, stomping down on his shoulder before giving the arm a brutal wrench, a crack splitting the air, stunning the room into silence.

And then, the screaming started. His ears rang, and he heard Glynda shouting for him. Shouting for a medical team. Screaming for Ozpin. Mercury's hands shook and all he wanted at the moment was to choke the remaining life from Cardin Winchester. But, for the life of him, he couldn't understand why. Then a pair of silver eyes and a red cape danced across his mind's eye.

_Why should I care what an idiot like Cardin says about **her?** _

He shook off the thought and the dazed feeling and looked up in time to see Ruby headed his way.

 _Good job, my boy. Good job…_ His father’s voice seemed appeased by this act of violence.

 

She'd watched in horror as Mercury attacked Cardin with a cold, impassivity. It was almost like Mercury was there, but he wasn't. He'd just gone blank. One minute, he'd seemed annoyed and amused, the next, his eyes darkened, and all emotion just drained away. He'd broken Cardin's arm with a swift brutality she'd only seen Roman Torchwick wield.

Her heart stopped. And all she could hear was the sound of her blood pounding in her ears. Then Cardin started screaming. And everyone else soon followed. Ruby stood and hurried toward Mercury. What was going on?! Ruby was stopped when Ozpin entered, followed closely by Ironwood.

The medical team carried Cardin away on the stretcher and Ozpin, and Ironwood took Mercury away, followed by Glynda. Ruby started to follow, but Ozpin glanced back at her and shook his head once, signaling for her to stay behind. Ruby slumped, frowning as her sister and friends joined her, watching until the head of silver hair disappeared around the corner.


	4. And Three Steps Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah! I know, I know. I didn't forget or anything. My editing software is down (kinda). 
> 
> And since it's been so long, I'm just gonna post the unedited work up now. 
> 
> (Please, don't remind me that the grammar and punctuation is off and that it's "rough" and "unpolished", I know already.) 
> 
> And yeah, this chapter "switches" narratives and jumps between characters a lot. But that's because that's kind of how it went in my head. Please, just bear with me.
> 
> Anyway, now that that's out of the way...

_Yeah, it's plain to see that, Baby, you're beautiful._

_And there's nothing wrong with you. It's me._

_I'm a freak. But, thanks for loving me. 'Cause you're doing it perfectly._

_Yeah, there might've been a time when I would let you slip away._

_I wouldn't even try. But I think you could save my life._

_Just don't give up. I'm working it out. Please, don't give in._

_I won't let you down. It messed me up. Need a second to breathe._

_Just keep coming around. Hey, whataya want from me?_

_Whataya Want From Me - Adam Lambert_

* * *

 

 

 

It'd been an entire evening, and she still hadn't heard from Mercury. After the incident with Cardin and Ozpin taking him away, there was nothing. Nothing. Ruby hadn't slept well that night, worried that he'd been sent away. Or worse. She checked her Scroll hourly. Even waking up in the middle of the evening to look at it. Still nothing. She'd barely focused on her class the next morning. It wasn't until lunchtime that her Scroll chimed. She checked the device frantically, her breath leaving in a _whoosh_ of relief when his name popped up. He'd sent a message.

 _Meet me in the courtyard in 15 minutes_.

Ruby glanced around, her heart sinking when she didn't see him. She put her Scroll into her pocket and returned to her lunch. Ruby finished her meal in a hurry and stood, picking up her tray. She carried the empty containers to the garbage and dumped them before walking to the front doors on wobbly legs.

"Ruby?" She turned to see Weiss standing behind her, her brows knitted together. "Is something wrong?"

Ruby shook her head, "No. Nothing."

She flashed her friend a smile and hurried out of the school. She rushed to the edge of the courtyard and spun, looking around. Mercury peered around a corner, and she scurried over to him.

"Are you okay?" She asked, whispering.

"Yeah," Mercury shrugged nonchalantly, but something dark flickered in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" Her brows knit together. He certainly didn't look okay. He looked angry. "They just asked me a bunch of questions. Why I did it. Among other things."

"Why _did_ you do it?" Ruby asked quietly.

Mercury turned away.

"I don't know," He muttered before looking at Ruby, his brow twitching in what she could only guess was annoyance as he recalled the interrogation he'd been put through last night.

 

_"So, Mister Black," Ozpin said in that calm and friendly way of his as Glynda stalked back and forth behind him, her mouth pinched in a disapproving scowl. "Would you like to tell me why you broke Mister Winchester's arm in what was intended to be a mere sparring match?"_

_Mercury's hands balled into fists; his knuckles were whitening._

_"I don't..." Mercury said, uncertainty flooding him with confusion and doubt. Finally, he shook off the feeling and grit his teeth, saying in smug tones, "Why don't you ask Cardin? Or is he too busy hounding Ruby Rose and spreading rumors about her to tell you anything?"_

_Glynda halted in her tracks, shock coloring her words, " **What?** " She gasped. "_

_What do you mean, Mister Black?" Ozpin asked carefully._

_Mercury straightened in his seat, "Why don't you ask **him?** I think I'm done being interrogated." He scowled, standing and marching to the door. "_

_We might have more questions for you, Mister Black, so please, don't wander **too** far." "_

_Whatever." Mercury snapped, stalking into the elevator, punching the button angrily._

 

_Look at her, Merc. She’s just wrapped around your finger._

Mercury scowled as Marcus Black once again entered his thoughts.

_She’s a pretty one, my boy, your little sof’n’sweet._

"Mercury?" Ruby asked gingerly, placing her hand on his arm.

"Yeah?" He asked brusquely, pulling away.

"I'm sorry," Ruby's words came out so soft that Mercury wasn't even sure he heard it.

"About what?" He asked carefully.

"Everything." She nodded before enveloping him in a hug, stunning him.

He hugged her back halfheartedly before a voice made them break apart.

"Ruby Rose," Glynda said from behind them. Ruby and Mercury turned to face her.

She stood, her arms crossed, a short distance from them.

"Come with me," She said, walking toward the tower.

Ruby followed her, casting one last glance back at Mercury before she and Glynda entered the tower and stepped into the elevator, making their way to the Headmaster's office. She looked around as the elevator rose before a soft _ding_ notified them of their arrival on the top floor. The doors slid open, and Ruby stepped out into the office, walking towards the desk nervously.

"You wanted to see me?" She stammered.

"Please," Ozpin said, standing upon her approach, gesturing to the chair in front of the desk. "Have a seat, Miss Rose. We have a lot to discuss."

 

Mercury paced the floor of Cinder's dorm, clenching and unclenching his fists. His mind whirred angrily, the events of that morning and the morning before flitting through his mind. What he couldn't figure out was why it bothered him so much. What did he care about Ruby Rose? She was his objective, nothing more. He shoved the confusion aside angrily and sat down, tapping the heel of his boot against the floor, waiting for Cinder and Emerald to arrive. He looked up when he heard their voices before the door swung open.

"Oh, Mercury," Emerald chirped.

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. This couldn't be good.

"I heard Ozpin spoke to Ruby Rose about those _terrible_ things Cardin said about her."

" _What?_ " He said, rising before he clamped down on the words and thoughts that rose with him.

 _Damn him_.

He cursed the headmaster silently.

_I told them to ask **Cardin.** How dense are they?! _

Cinder watched Mercury's reaction with a mixture of amusement and suspicion.

"Are you okay, Merc?" Emerald asked lightly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mercury said gruffly. "Well, I suppose I could –”

“Could, what, Mercury?” Cinder asked softly, a dangerous undercurrent filtering her words.

“Nothing,” Mercury muttered, relenting.

 

Ruby wrapped her arms around herself tightly as she made her way across the courtyard. It was brutal, having to tell Ozpin and Glenda what Cardin said to and about her. They tried to be as gentle as possible. But still, it didn’t do much to soften their shock and disgust. Some things were more difficult for Ruby to tell them than others. But she did it. She said what she could.

When it was over, Professor Ozpin looked at her and murmured, “You may go, Miss Rose.”

She stood and hurried from the room as quickly as possible, feeling as though she’d fallen into a puddle of something disgusting and it stuck to her, no matter what she tried to wash it off. Ruby rubbed her arms, the slimy feeling still making her stomach roil. _Ugh_. She shuddered.

“Hey, Rose!”

A familiar shout startled her out of her haze.

“Grant?” She stammered.

She stared as one of her closest friends from Signal stepped off an airship. _His family’s '_ ship.

“What are you doing here?” Ruby cried, flinging her arms around the boy.

“I came to see you,” He replied. “I missed you, Rose.”

She took a step back and observed the boy in question, taking in his white hair and pearlescent eyes. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled as a smile swept across his mouth.

 

“ _What were you **thinking?!**_ ” Mercury thundered at the headmaster.

Ozpin observed the boy calmly before replying, “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

“I _told_ you to question _Cardin_. So, _why_ did you interrogate _Ruby?_ ”

“What is your concern regarding Miss Rose?” Ozpin asked shrewdly.

Mercury balked at the question, staggering to a stop.

“I…” He trailed off, “I don’t know.” He took a step back, “I don’t know.” He repeated, more to himself than to Ozpin, before he turned on his heel, storming out of the room.

“Hmm,” Ozpin’s brows knitted together, “Well, this is certainly an interesting turn of events.”

 

Mercury stamped out of the building, halting in the courtyard when he overheard the blonde one – Yang, he was sure she was called – talking to her partner.

“Oh, boy,” The blonde one, Yang, breathed out, her lilac orbs focused on an event occurring in the distance.

“What?” He dimly heard the one called Blake ask.

At that moment, he turned to follow their line of sight and spotted Little Red. She ran to a young man Mercury didn’t recognize, flinging her arms around him. A dark emotion coiled within Mercury as he watched them embrace. He felt his hands curl into fists as Little Red pecked the newcomer on the cheek before he shoved them into his pockets. What did he care who she hugged or who she didn’t?

He turned and walked away, clenching his jaws together as he heard Yang murmur, “Never mind.” Confident that she finally noticed his presence.

 

“So, you just _happened_ to show up, in your family’s airship, on one of the worst days of my life?” Ruby asked incredulously.

“Well, I –” Her friend began, before cutting himself off, “Wait, what do you mean, ‘one of the worst days of your life?’” He asked, his eyes narrowing and his crooked smile fading.

 _Oh, no,_ Ruby thought, squeezing her eyes shut as she inwardly smacked her palm against her forehead.

“It’s… nothing,” She smiled at him brightly, “Don’t worry about it. So, are you going to be here a while?”

“Yeah, my parents wanted to visit Vale for the weekend and see my sister,” Grant replied with a winning smile.

“We should have coffee sometime before you leave,” Ruby chirped before taking a step back, turning and walking toward the large building, stepping into the cafeteria.

She zeroed in on the silver-haired boy she was separated from that morning and poked his shoulder playfully, “Hey, Mercury!”

He seemed to recoil from her touch before recognition set in.

“Oh,” He said blandly, “It’s _you_.”

Now it was Ruby’s turn to recoil.

“Mercury?” Her voice was small, hurt etched into her features.

Mercury made his way to his team’s table, but as soon as he arrived, they vacated their seats. He scowled, setting the tray he’d prepared down with a _thump_ before flinging himself into the chair. Ruby followed him, ignoring the beckoning gestures of her teammates.

“Did I do something wrong?” She asked the boy as she sat next to him.

“No,” He snapped, visibly gritting his teeth, “ _I_ did. Don’t worry about it,” he roughly added when Ruby opened her mouth.

“Okay,” She replied softly, looking down at her clasped hands.

After a moment of thick silence and indecision, he shoved his tray between them, silently offering her some of his food. Ruby brightened immediately. And Mercury did not like what her faint smile did to his heartbeat.

“So,” He began, attempting to hold back the dark emotion that clouded his mind. “Who was your _friend?_ ”

Ruby blinked, silent until she recalled who he was speaking of. “Oh, that was Grant. I knew him at Signal.” She shrugged casually.

 

“And, he was _completely_ head over heels for her,” Yang continued, whispering the story to her teammates as they sat in the library, attempting to study.

Weiss seemed to be casually listening while Blake was engrossed…. In her book.

“And Ruby had no idea. I think he might still be in love with her,” she added in a conspiratorial whisper.

“Who is?” Pyrrha Nikos asked as she and the rest of Team JNPR approached their friends’ table.

“Oh, no one.” Weiss said loftily, “Just Ruby’s previous suitor.”

“He wasn’t a _suitor_ ,” Yang retorted, scandalized. “He was just in love with her.” She finished with a shrug.

 

“Okay,” Mercury’s hackles lowered at Ruby’s reassurance.

“Yeah,” She smiled as she picked apart a sandwich, popping bites into her mouth.

“So, how’d he get here?” Mercury continued lightly.

“Oh, his family owns the airship,” Ruby stated simply.

 _So, he’s rich. Interesting_ , Mercury thought.

“Well, they only own the _one_ ,” Ruby blathered on carelessly.

 _Middle-class, maybe. Not quite among the wealthy, but still in a class higher than the poor_ , Mercury added together in his mind.

“Mercury?” Ruby sounded uncertain.

“Hmm?” He hummed distractedly.

“Is everything okay now?” She frowned, “Between us, I mean.”

_What exactly is she asking me?_

“Yeah, I guess.” He replied, confused. “Why?”

He faltered when she pressed her lips to his cheek. They both stiffened and froze, staring at each other with wide eyes. Blood pooled in her cheeks as his own warmed.

“Um,” Ruby stammered, “I gotta –” She gestured to the doors of the cafeteria.

“Yeah,” Mercury stood with her, and they both went their separate ways.

 

 

 

 

 


	5. I Don't Know What You're Talking About

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes. I know. It's been too long. Long story short; fire bad, tree pretty.  
> Anyway, onto the story..

_You came and stood by me, your crooked smile brighter than the stars._

_Then you pulled me to my feet, whispering, "The summertime is ours."_

_And I felt it as we melted into something wonderful._

_Oh, we danced 'cause we were feeling young._

_You looked at me like you couldn't get enough._

_So, I handed you my porcelain heart. Breakable but not yet broken._

_Harboring my words unspoken. I handed you my porcelain heart._

_Disregarding consequences. Letting down all my defenses to my porcelain heart._

_Porcelain Heart - Beth Crowley_

* * *

 

 _I can’t believe I kissed him_ ; Ruby thought, dazed.

It was the next morning, and Ruby was pulling on her uniform jacket. Things had quickly become uncomfortable again. And she was no longer sure how to approach him or the situation.

 _And it wasn’t even like I kissed Mercury on the mouth_ , she thought, her reddened cheeks darkening even more. _What if I **had?**_ Ruby shook her head, hard. _Let’s not think about that now._

She grabbed her bag, slinging it cross-body before exiting the room and making her way from the dorms to the classroom.

 _What do I even say to him n_ –

“Hey, Little Red,” Mercury’s voice seemed to vibrate through her, shaking her hold on reality.

Ruby faltered to a stop, “Mercury?” She croaked out.

His gray brows rose in silent question, “Yeah?”

Ruby was at a loss for words.

“So, history,” She said awkwardly.

Mercury hummed and pulled the door open, holding it for her.

A sunset swept Ruby's cheeks as she stammered out a thank you and stepped into the classroom.

Doctor Oobleck was preparing for the class. And her teammates had been seated already.

"See you around, Little Red." Mercury's breath had tickled down her throat before he brushed past her.

Ruby turned to see him walking away.

 _Well, he seemed to be okay with what happened,_ Ruby thought as she walked over to her teammates.

She pulled her books from her bag, and as she bent to set the book bag on the floor, she heard and felt something crinkling in her pocket.

Ruby immediately straightened and reached in her jacket pocket gingerly. Her fingertips danced over something smooth. She carefully pinched in between her thumb and forefinger and extracted the alien object.

It was a fold of paper.

 _How did this -_ She thought before remembering Mercury brushing against her. _Mercury?_

She looked at the boy in question. He seemed to be focusing on Oobleck and very bored.

She unfolded the paper in a rush and read it eagerly.

**Meet me in the courtyard, after class.**

_What?_ She looked at him again.

Mercury's eyes were already on her, his brow spiking toward his hairline in silent question. She glanced at her friends before looking at him again and nodded. Mercury's mouth curved into a smile that made the butterflies in Ruby's stomach do flip-flops.

She sunk back into her seat, turning to Doctor Oobleck to hide the blush that crept over her cheeks. She hurriedly picked up her pencil and began scrawling, her eyes focused on the blank page of her notebook.

Time seemed to crawl past. And she’d only managed to jot down a few words. And none of them made sense, especially joined. All she could think about was the note.

Why did Mercury want to meet her?

What was going on?

She was nervous. But excited about the prospect of seeing Mercury again. As soon as the clock on Weiss’ desk chimed the hour, Ruby tapped into her Semblance and left the classroom in a flurry of rose petals.

“ _Ruby!_ ” Her teammates called after her.

Ruby glanced off a wall, leaving cracked plaster behind as she boosted her speed. She skidded to a stop when a familiar statue entered her field of vision.

“You got here before me,” Mercury chuckled.

Ruby whirled around and struggled not to appear eager, “You wanted to see me?”

“That’s what I said.” Mercury acknowledged before looping his arm around her waist, making her blush before she realized he was steering her away from the school.

“Where are we going?” She asked, suddenly nervous.

“Anywhere we want,” Mercury murmured to her.

“Are you… are you suggesting that we cut class?” Ruby said, uncertain.

“Why not?” Mercury cajoled, “Besides the next class is Professor Port’s class. Do you _really_ want to sit through another of his lectures?”

_He has a point there._

“Besides, the old man’s so full of himself; he probably wouldn’t know we’re missing.” Mercury concluded.

“True,” Ruby was starting to see his point.

“We’ll be back before Glynda even notices we were gone.” Mercury said in his most beguiling tone.

“Come on, Little Red,” He whispered to her, “Let’s go have some fun.”

Ruby’s cheeks felt like they were on fire.

And before she could talk herself out of it, she nodded, “Okay.”

After a quick stop to change into her combat skirt, she grabbed her Scroll and Crescent Rose before bolting from the building, hurrying to return to Mercury’s side.

He guided her to the dock.

“Wait, how are we getting into –” She halted when she saw the airbus awaiting them.

“Oh,” she said, stunned.

“What?” Mercury said, sounding slightly hurt. “You didn’t think I thought this far ahead?”

Ruby paused before replying, “I wasn’t sure what to think.”

Mercury remained silent a moment before nodding, “Fair enough.”

They boarded the ship, and Ruby moved to the window and gazed out at Beacon as it disappeared over the horizon.

“Oh, wow.” She breathed out, unaware of Mercury’s dark gray oculars on her.

The boy in question eyed her, taking in her rapt expression.

 _I find it hard to believe that someone as innocent and honest as her actually exists_. Mercury thought, shaking his head.

Ruby pushed away from the window, “Where are we going?”

She turned her luminous optics on him. He did _not_ like what those silver eyes were doing to him.

He felt his pulse pounding and he averted his gaze, saying gruffly, “It’s a secret.”

The girl in the red hood looked at him, wondering what she did wrong before turning back to the window, seeing Vale spread beneath them. Off in the distance, she could spot Patch from where they were before the ship began its descent.

Mercury moved to the door and waved her to it when they touched down.

“After you,” He drawled.

The blush that swept her cheeks was adorable.

 _What’s wrong with me?_ He rubbed his temple. _Maybe I’m sick. I’m not thinking straight._

Ruby slipped past him and exited the airship.

Mercury cast a glance at the pilot, who nodded to him, her blue eyes shifting to their original pink and brown. He nodded back before following Ruby.

He walked alongside the young huntress, all too aware of her presence. He could almost feel the warmth wafting from her, smell her sweet scent and… his thoughts were interrupted when her hand brushed against his.

It was an instant, and it was an instant too much.

Mercury shoved his hand into his pocket, breathing out a heavy sigh.

Ruby cast him a confused, sidelong glance.

Was he angry with her?

“Are you okay?” She asked warily.

“Hmm?” Mercury hummed distractedly.

“You just seem…. Angry.” Ruby said, glancing down the sidewalk.

 _She’s perceptive._ Mercury thought before replying, “Not mad, frustrated.”

“Sexually?” Ruby blurted out, her brows knitted together.

Mercury emitted a choked sound of shock before halting in his tracks and staring at her, “ _What?_ ” His cheeks turned red. “ _No!_ ”

“Sorry,” Ruby looked cowed. “It was something I heard Yang say once. I don’t know _exactly_ what it meant, but I thought –”

“Yeah, I _know_ what you thought,” Mercury retorted, looking uncomfortable.

He rolled his shoulders and continued down the street, his hand at the back of his neck and his right eye twitching.

Ruby watched him walk away for a moment before scurrying after him.

_What did I say?_

After what felt like an eternity, they reached the city limits and Mercury stopped and looked back at Ruby, almost as if to reassure himself that she was still following him. He climbed a fire escape ladder and Ruby scrambled after him.

At the top, Mercury pointed to a pinprick of lights in the distance, near the coast.

“That’s where we’re headed.” He leapt down, and Ruby followed his lead.

As they drew closer, Ruby saw that they were approaching an outdoor theater.

“Are you sure we should be here?” Ruby asked nervously.

Mercury guided her closer, saying reassuringly, “We won’t get in trouble. I promise.”

He struggled inwardly as her mouth formed a pout that he found irresistible.

 _What is **wrong** with me?_ He shook himself before taking her hand.

Previews before the film began were being projected onto the large side of a building.

Excitement bubbled inside of Ruby.

This was awesome!

People – couples, Ruby noted – were cuddling on blankets that speckled the ground.

Suddenly, she found herself feeling a bit self-conscious. Mercury, on the other hand, was handling the whole thing with the utmost ease.

“Popcorn, my lady?” A voice startled her out of her embarrassment.

She looked over, spotting a boy not much older than her, carrying a tray of popcorn bags.

“Y – yeah!” Ruby nodded.

Mercury handed the boy a couple lien, taking one for himself.

They moved to a bench and sat as the announcer called for everyone to shut off their Scrolls before the film begun.

Ruby shut hers off, but not before noting several messages and missed calls from her sister and teammates. She noted that Mercury did the same before draping his arm around her, looking up at the screen. She relaxed and begun to do the same.

She pivoted in her seat, turning to look at Mercury, who was watching her.

And for a heart-stopping moment, she thought he was going to kiss her.

He leaned close and then reached toward her hair.

 _Huh?_ She uttered a questioning sound.

“There’s something there,” Mercury said. “Stay still.”

“Is it a spider?” Ruby shrieked, panicked, “Get it off!”

The corner of Mercury’s mouth twitched in amusement, “I don’t think it’s a spider.”

He sighed, adding when she began flailing in attempt to rid herself of whatever took up residence in her hair, “ _Stay. Still._ ”

He began searching her hair, “Huh. It’s a blue thing.” He trailed off.

“A _blue_ spider?!” Ruby sounded even more frantic. “ _Get it off!_ ”

Mercury removed the blinking blue dot from the neck of her blouse and flung it, in an overhanded throw, over the railing and into the ocean.

Apparently, Emerald saw fit to attach a tracking/listening device to Ruby.

 _Enjoy listening to the sounds of the deep, blue sea, Em._ Mercury thought with sadistic relish.

He still hadn’t forgiven her for the little stunt she pulled. And just then, he pictured her face when hearing the feedback of the device as it shorted out.

Ruby shuddered gently.

“How is it that you can fight Grimm, but you’re terrified of a _bug?_ ” Mercury asked, sounding amused.

“It’s _different_ , okay?” Ruby defended herself. “They’re icky and gross, and they’re just _creepy_.”

Mercury chuckled softly before slipping his arm around her in playful reassurance. “Well, it’s gone now.”

“Promise?” Ruby looked up at him, wriggling closer and nuzzling into his embrace.

Mercury faltered at her closeness before relenting.

“Yeah. I promise.”

After a moment of silence, a cool breeze fluttered by and Ruby opened her mouth to speak as she raised her eyes to him.

Instead, she poked his nose, saying, “Boop!” Before pulling away and standing.

She ducked her head and walked to the exit, her cheeks burning. Mercury blinked and rubbed his nose where she touched him.

What was that?

He shook his head and followed her.

“So, where to, now?” Ruby asked him shyly.

“Well,” Mercury began, switching his Scroll on before hearing it chime.

Emerald’s name popped up, blinking up at him annoyingly.

_What **now?**_

For one moment, he considered throwing the Scroll to the ground and stomping it until it stopped ringing. But then he remembered that he still hadn’t gotten far on that augmented reality game. And he’d just started it and found it quite enjoyable.

After wrestling with his anger, he answered the call, stepping away from Ruby.

The young Huntress frowned, seeing the anger on his face, but remained where he left her.

“ _What?_ ” Mercury snarled.

“Someone’s not happy.” Emerald quipped.

“What do you _want?_ ” Mercury repeated, losing his patience.

“Just wanted to thank you,” The thief explained in an unmistakably ill-boding and amicable tone. “Your message came through _loud_ and clear.”

Mercury found himself smirking, unable to stop himself, and replied, “Glad you understood.”

With that, he hung up and turned to Ruby, who’d remained on the curb and was playing a game on her Scroll.

“How about we stop for coffee on our way back?” He asked her, noting how she jumped when he’d addressed her and how she blushed and stowed her Scroll quickly.

Ruby nodded excitedly.

“ _Yeah,_ ” She agreed.

They walked in silence and the red-hooded girl pondered bringing up his phone call. But dismissed the thought, as Mercury still seemed quite angry.

She walked alongside him in silence.

They stopped outside a coffee shop labeled **The Espresso Shot**.

Ruby hadn’t been to this one. She bounced eagerly as she walked inside.

 _She is just **adorable** , Merc. _Marcus’ oily voice entered Mercury’s mind and he shook it off and followed her.

Ruby was staring at a shelf of books with starry eyes before she flickered to his side.

She was clutching a large tome. From the cover, it looked like a fantasy novel.

“ _Please?_ ” She asked him, dialing up the puppy dog eyes to eleven.

Mercury groaned inwardly before nodding, “ _Fine._ ” He said and she cheered.

“ _Yay!_ ”

Mercury watched her dance in amusement before gesturing to the menu, “Well, Book Worm?” He said, teasingly.

“I’ll have a mocha!” Ruby called out, still dancing with her book.

“I guess I’ll have the same. Mercury said, faint amusement traced in his words.

He paid for the drinks and the book and lead Ruby to a seat.

She sat across from him, tracing his handsome features with her eyes, longing to trace them with her fingertips.

“What?” Mercury asked, somewhat sharply.

“Sorry!” Ruby squawked. “I was just wondering… what was your childhood like?”

“Why?” Mercury’s voice still held that edge of anger.

“It just seems… like something bad happened to you is all.”

Mercury’s eyes widened. _She’s… **definitely** perceptive._

He was stunned.

Where the hell had this insight come from?

“I guess you could say that.” He snapped.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Ruby said hurriedly before placing her hand over his gently. “But, I’m here if you ever want to.” 

_What the hell is she doing to me?_ Mercury sat, frozen before retracting his hand as gently as he could.

“Sure,” He said stiffly.

Their coffees arrived and they sipped in silence.

“My father wasn’t exactly nice.” Mercury said haltingly, fighting off the familiar surge of emotion that came with the memories.

“Oh,” Ruby said, frowning. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” He placed his hand on the table, clenching it into a shaking fist.

Ruby reached across the table, gently holding his clenched hand.

Mercury felt the anger melt away at the touch and his hand relaxed in hers.

“Whatever happened to you, I’m sorry.” The red-hooded Huntress said, her argent hues glistening with emotion.

He opened his mouth to speak before looking away, his cheeks hot.

“Ahem,” He cleared his throat. “We should go.”

He gestured to the clock.

“Oh, no!” Ruby cried. “We’re missing the last two classes?!”

She bolted to her feet, draining her coffee in one scalding gulp and set the empty mug on the table, snatching up the book.

They both bolted from the building and hurriedly retraced their steps to the airbus.

When Ruby finally returned to her dorm to change into her school uniform, her heart sunk to her stomach when she found her teammates awaiting her.

“Ruby,” The Heiress began. “ _Where were you?_ ”

“Wh – what do you mean?” Ruby stammered, her eyes widening innocently.

“Don’t give me that look!” Weiss thundered, “You skipped class, and I want to know _why!_ ”

“ _ItwasbecauseofMercury!_ ” Ruby squealed, raising her arms to shield herself from the irate princess.

“ _What?_ ” Her teammates screamed in unison.

“Mercury convinced you to cut class?” Blake said slowly.

Disapproval painted the faces of each of her teammates.

“I don’t think he meant in a bad way –” Ruby attempted to reason.

The others turned to Yang, who shrugged, “Just don’t do it again,” Her sister said, sighing.

Ruby’s heart sunk even further.

She’d let them down.

She wasn’t supposed to do that.

She was their _leader_.

What was _wrong_ with her?

Mercury couldn’t stop thinking about it. Picturing it. What it would be like to kiss her. Ruby.

 _Since when do you want to go around plucking flowers?_ The drunken voice of his father seeped into his mind.

Mercury crushed that senile old man’s voice as he grit his teeth.

 _Since when do I go around listening to **ghosts?**_ He shot back, scowling.

It had started out a relatively okay day. He’d woken to the memory of Ruby’s soft lips against his cheek.

Now, he flopped down onto his bed, crooking one arm behind his head as he imagined how silky and velvety her mouth would be.

The sounds she’d make as he kissed her.

Remembering his place and who he was, Mercury scowled and punched his pillow into submission before rolling onto his side, covering his face with the second cushion, oblivious to the stare of his roommate, Emerald.

What was _wrong_ with him?


	6. Interrrogation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I just now realized that I haven’t given a profile or anything on Grant. Ruby’s OC friend. And, seeing as we’ll be seeing a bit more of him in later chapters, I thought I’d give a small profile for him.
> 
> Name: Grant Ivory
> 
> Age: 16
> 
> Gender: Male. (Obviously, PCA. *facepalm*)
> 
> Hair Color: White.
> 
> Eye Color: White, with a pearlescent sheen.
> 
> Weapon: I haven’t decided yet. I mean, if you guys have a cool idea, send it my way. I’ll credit you and everything.  
> Semblance: I was actually gonna go with some kind of healing Semblance. But, Jaune’s Semblance being confirmed in V5 and with them saying, “Our Auras are what heal us.” And all. That was shot out of the water. So, I have nothing. Once again, if you have an idea…
> 
> Anyway, that’s all I have for Grant.

The room he woke up in was dark and dank. The only source of light was dangling from the ceiling, and he was propped into a seated position in a solid metal chair.

After feeling returned to Mercury’s hands, he noted that his shoulders burned. His hands were bound behind his back. He gave the chair a jerk, hoping it would topple over and he could then make his escape.

How’d he get here?

The chair was, apparently, bolted to the floor.

Shaking off the daze, Mercury could just make out voices on the other side of the door.

“Jaune, I don’t think this is the best course of action.” A soft, almost buttery female voice was saying.

Wait. Wasn’t that Pyrrha Nikos?

 _So…._ Mercury began putting the pieces together. _Why is there a room like this in Beacon anyway?_

A male voice joined in, “Pyrrha, relax. I know what I’m doing.”

_Ah, Jaune Arc. The leader of Team JNPR._

Mercury recalled the information his group had gathered.

Soon, the door opened with a bang.

And the leader of Team JNPR entered, “Mister Black,” Jaune was reading from his Scroll, which was now extended to tablet mode. “It says here that you have been spending an awful lot of time with one Miss Ruby Rose. Why is that?”

 _Wait. Are they planning to interrogate me?_ Mercury thought, feeling amused. _Like **cops?**_

He struggled to remain neutral.

To not laugh as he said, “What’s it to you?”

Jaune slammed his hands down on the table.

“It means a lot to me!” He shouted at Mercury.

And to his credit, Mercury didn’t seem affected by the sudden movement or the scream.

His brow _did_ begin twitching, as though he were repressing some emotion.

“ _She_ means a lot to me!” The blond knight continued, vehemently.

 _What?_ A sudden anger burned through Mercury’s veins. _Oh, **really?** _

“Ruby is a dear, dear friend of mine! And if your intentions towards her are less than chivalrous, I _will_ cut you down, Sir!” Jaune’s cheeks flushed as a ginger-haired young woman entered the room.

She gripped Mercury’s shoulders and yanked him against the chair, holding him in place with a surprisingly strong grip.

“Should I break his legs, Boss?” She asked with an almost sadistic relish.

 _Good luck with that_. Mercury thought, amused.

“Nora!” Jaune cried, “We don’t break legs! That’s not our policy!”

“Awww!” The girl, Nora, whined.

“ _Where is he?_ ” A familiar voice echoed throughout the room. Another blond young man entered the room, followed by another male, with blue hair. “Where is that good-for-nothing, filthy, lying, _backstabbing_ , degenerate?”

Mercury’s brow had risen at the insults before he realized that the new boys were wearing fake mustaches. _What the…?_

“Sun!” Jaune cried in a whining tone. “This is _my_ interrogation!” He finished the statement by stamping his foot childishly.

_I think I had enough of this._

Mercury had pulled on his bindings before a frown twisted his mouth. The handcuffs were tight and well done.

When he looked up, he realized that the other boys had been ushered out of the room by Jaune.

 _Great_.

“I’m sorry about that,” Jaune said kindly. “Would you like some water?”

Mercury nodded slowly.

After the blonde had left the room, he’d returned to attempting to break free of the cuffs.

_If only I had a paperclip or something._

He had thought before the door banged open, signaling Jaune’s return before a cold wave of something hit him in the face.

Once the shock wore off, he realized the knight had flung a glass of water on him.

 _That little…._ Rage burned a hole in Mercury’s chest.

The glass hit the table so roughly, Mercury was surprised it didn’t shatter.

“ _What do you want with Ruby Rose?!_ ” The shout echoed painfully off the walls. “ _Tell me now, or things are going to get **very** rough and painful,_” Jaune growled.

 _I know nine different ways I could snap your neck._ Mercury seethed silently before he relaxed, remembering his mission.

“Has it ever occurred to you that I _like_ spending time with her?” He uttered in calm and controlled tones, ignoring the weight that seemingly lifted off his chest. 

“And why do you suddenly like her _now?_ She wasn’t even on your radar before!” Jaune unwittingly echoed Ozpin’s words.

“I don’t have to explain myself to you.” Mercury shot back before looking away with a scowl.

“Oh, I beg to _differ!_ ” Arc cried, slamming his hands on the table once again. “You do. And you _will_. Whether you want to or not!”

“I…” Mercury began. He glanced at the mirror, taking note of the two-way glass before drawing in a deep breath. “I really, really like her.” He said, wondering at the weight that once again lifted from his chest. “I didn’t act like she was ‘on my radar’ before because it felt like I was _completely_ out of her league. She’s incredible. Kind, honest and so pure it’s astounding. I’ve never met anyone like her.”

When he finished, he looked at the Knight, seeing him dabbing at his face with a tissue.

 _What’s wrong with **him?**_ Mercury wondered.

“That was… Wow.” Jaune cleared his throat. “So, you like her?”

“More than you could ever comprehend.” Mercury said softly.

He was shocked. Because none of what he’d said felt like a lie. It felt… like the _truth_.

 _Whatever. I have a job to do. And this idiot is getting in the way of that._ His anger scorched him.

“Okay, then we’ll –”

The door opened with what sounded like an explosion.

“Okay, Vomit Boy.” A familiar voice announced, “I’m gonna need you to let my sister’s boyfriend go.”

“Boyfriend?” Jaune squawked.

 _Boyfriend?_ Mercury thought, utterly confused.

Until he realized that word was aimed at him.

The Blonde Brawler entered the room and walked over to him, breaking the handcuffs.

 _Remind me to never make Ruby cry._ He thought, his brow rising as he stood.

“Thanks,” He said shortly.

“No problem.” Yang replied and looked at Jaune, “If _anyone_ should be interrogating him, it’s _me._ ” She turned back to Mercury and gripped his shirt with one hand. She slammed him against the wall hard enough to crack it and said, “Hurt Ruby and it’ll be the _last_ thing you _ever_ do.” Her eyes burned red.

Mercury nodded, making a show of swallowing thickly. “Understood.”

Satisfied with his answer, Yang released him and exited the room.

Mercury smoothed his shirt.

 _You could’ve broken that hold and broken **her.**_ Marcus’ voice returned.

 _Yeah, I **could have**._ Mercury shot back as he followed Yang out of the room.

 _So, why didn’t you?!_ Marcus raged at him.

_Because, I still have a job to do._

“Where’s Ruby?” He called after the Blonde.

“Out with a friend.” She replied.

“A friend?”

“Yeah, Grant.”

 _Grant…_ Fire burned through his veins. Rage seeping into him.

 

“So, you’re going back to Signal soon?” Ruby asked, stirring her coffee with a red stirrer.

“Yeah, tomorrow,” Grant replied. He gazed at her with such intensity that she fidgeted in her seat.

“Are you happy, Ruby?” He asked.

“What do you mean?” She asked, genuinely confused by the question.

“You’ve just been… down, since I’ve been here.”

“It’s not –” Ruby started. “It’s not anything you’ve done,” She admitted. “It’s… There’s this guy,” She continued, ignoring the way his eyes darkened. “He’s a bully. And he’s targeting me now. He’s said some really awful things about me. Saying that I… did things with someone. When I didn’t. I swear I didn’t!”

“I know,” Grant interjected. “I know you, Ruby.” He took a deep breath and leaned forward, taking her hand gently. “Who is he?” His voice shook with anger.

Ruby knew that voice.

And remembered the last time someone had upset her while she was a student at Signal. “H… His name’s Cardin Winchester.” She whispered.

Grant gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Okay.” He said. “Now, what are things like at Beacon?” He asked, grinning.

Ruby leaned back in her seat. “It’s… nice. The school is _huge_.” She gushed. 

“I noticed.” He said quietly. “Well, maybe I’ll be joining you in a year.” He added.

“ _Really?_ ” Ruby squealed excitedly. “That’s _awesome._ We’ll get to spend more time together!”

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.” Grant began slowly. He reached for her hand with his other, cradling her hand between both of his. “In fact,” he continued. “I was hoping that we could spend even more time together.” There was a hopeful glint in his eye.

“Yeah,” Ruby said. “We should definitely spend more time together. Us, and all our friends.” Her words hit him like a brick. But, she didn’t seem to notice. “I missed all my friends, you included.” And KO. He slumped, defeated. Ruby blathered on, unaware that across the street, Mercury stood, watching them.

Before he turned and begun walking away, a weight settling in his stomach. A short, pink and brown haired female materialized next to him.

 **Hi, Neo.** He signed to her.

 **Hi, Wimp.** She signed back.

 **Stop calling me that,** Mercury shot back.

 **Make me.** Was her reply.

 **Why are you here?** He asked, his eyes narrowing at her.

 **Miss I’m-All-That-And-A-Bag-Of-Chips sent me.** Neo replied, rolling her eyes.

Mercury rolled his in return. **Why?**

**Concerns that you’re getting too close to the target and going soft.**

**I’m _not_ going soft!**

**Prove it. '**

**I – I can’t.**

**Thought so.** Neo placed her hand over her mouth as though muffling a giggle.

 **I… I am feeling… strange.** Mercury admitted.

**How so?**

**Well, I can’t stop thinking about… _her._ And she makes me feel warm and I want to be around her, more than I already am. I want to… hold her. And kiss her. And… stuff.** Mercury trailed off, lacking in better terms.

Neo donned a thoughtful expression before signing back, **sounds like someone is in love.**

Mercury waved a dismissive hand, continuing his journey.

After a short airship ride back to Beacon, he begun making his way back to the school, and caught a glimpse of a familiar red hood and thought back to his discourse with Neo. _Well, fu –_

“Hey, Mercury!” Her voice cut off his thought and he raised his eyes to hers.

“Hey,” He replied gruffly. _No. I don’t feel anything for her._ He thought firmly. _I’m just unwell._ He finished, resolved. “So… are you doing anything tomorrow?” He asked in attempt at offhandedness.

* * *

 

 

_And I'll use you as a warning sign. That if you talk enough sense then you'll lose your mind._

_And I'll use you as a focal point. So I don't lose sight of what I want._

_And I've moved further than I thought I could._

_But I missed you more than I thought I would._

_I Found – Amber Run_


End file.
